Our BBA specialisation in Sport Business Management, part of the Hospitality Business Administration (HBA) pathway, is for students who are passionate about sport and want to gain management and leadership skills in this expanding and exciting industry.

Your study will focus on business principles in the field of sport, an area that is growing in its importance and impact nationally and globally. The sports industry employs hundreds of thousands of people worldwide, providing graduate career opportunities in a wide range of sports-related businesses and organisations.

Combining practical experience with academic study will help fully equip you with a broad understanding of the international and commercial aspects of the sport business industry. You will gain the business management and leadership skills that employers have told us they are looking for in our students.

You will experience a dynamic blend of academic study, practical application, research, and hands-on experience via your placement. This balance of knowledge and practical skills is designed to prepare you for career success in this fast-paced and growing industry.

In your first year, you will be introduced to the components of sports business management and the impacts of sports policy, finance and economics on effective sports management. In your second year, you will develop project management skills and analyse the role of management for the successful organisation of sport. In the final year, you will investigate the roles of marketing and strategy in sports business management and undertake an extended piece of research.

Alongside the broad BBA modules, and modules specific to the HBA pathway, you will follow specific Sport Business Management modules.

In year 1, you will be responsible for organising the promotion and running of a sports event. This will develop your commercial awareness and business skills.

Specific Sport Business Management Modules Phase 1

• Introduction to Sports Business Management
• Who Runs Sport?
• Finance for Sports Management
• Sports Customer
• The Global Sports Industry and Media
• Introduction to Graduate Skills and Research Methods

Your second year of study is split into two halves. The first half is about learning the role of sports business management and preparing for your placement, while the second is based in a sports business organisation.

Specific Sports Business Management Modules Phase 2

• Understanding and Managing People in Sports Business
• Politics and Policy in Sport
• Reflective Practice in Sports Business Management
• Placement: Personal and Professional Development in Sports Business Management
• Placement: Management in Sports Business Organisations

Research Design and Evaluation

Your final year of study is based around the strategic implications of sports business management, including the investigation of marketing and strategy. You will have the opportunity to conduct research on a topic of your choice, based on the experience gained during your placement.

Specific Sports Business Management Modules in Phase 3

• Marketing for Sports Business
• Strategic Change in Sports Business Management
• The Law and Regulation of Sport
• Dissertation

Options include:

• Event Design
• Critical Issues in Sport and Leisure
• Community Sport Development: Policy and Practice
• Business Morality: People and Management
• Sports Tourism
• Sport, Values and Ideology: A Case Study of the Olympics

Sport is one of the few sectors experiencing economic growth both in the Netherlands and globally. Sport business management students will gain in-depth knowledge of business principles and how they are applied in this thriving industry, opening up a wide variety of career paths with a bright employment outlook.

Optional modules enable you to tailor your degree to suit your interests and personal career goals, whether they exist in marketing, sales, planning, sports events management, facility management or sports administration. Your placement will give you hands-on experience to acquire the skills that will help you stand out to potential employers and give you a competitive edge in the jobs market.

Careers exist with various organisations including professional sports clubs, sports governing bodies, health and leisure clubs, sports public agencies, sports community recreation departments, sporting goods companies, sports marketing agencies, sports events organisers and athletic service organisations.

An BBA bachelor’s degree in sports business management from Wittenborg University of Applied Sciences will enable you to turn your passion for sport into an exciting career and our employability hub and careers service will be there to offer support and advice.

The following partners are sports clubs, guest lecturers, sports associations, sports facility providers, and also sports business organisations. Students will have first-hand sports experience provided by these partners through project weeks, internship, graduation assignment, etc. For all sport lovers, FSG Campus is the place to stay, where sports facilities are provided in a sport-friendly living environment.

Popular sports in the region of Apeldoorn are: football, volleyball, swimming, basketball, tennis, golf, equestrian sports, track & field, cycling, field hockey, futsal, badminton, table tennis, judo, and wakeboarding. Wittenborg will assist students in finding suitable local sports clubs to join. Annual membership fees vary per sport and club.

Entry Requirements – Bachelor Programmes
High School Diploma or final certificate, equivalent to the Netherlands HAVO or MBO level-4 diploma / UK AS & A-Level or BTEC. Please contact the Admissions Office to receive High School diploma comparisons. Advanced Placement / Credit Transfer Possible – please see Credit Transfer & Accreditation of Prior Learning at WUASfor more information.

Direct Entry to Final Year
Students with successful study experience equivalent to 160 European Credits in a related business or economic field are able to enter directly into the Final-Year programme (80 credits). The examination and graduation board will decide on entry based on credit transcripts and qualifications presented. Please see Entry Requirements for Direct Entry Final Phase Students (‘Top-up’)for more information.

English Language Requirements
IELTS 6 or TOEFL equivalent. Click here for an overview of the equivalent scores.
TOEFL Code of Wittenborg is 4889.

Not got the English level requirements? Find out about our Foundation Programme here.